Tractor guide attachment



i -the line a-s of F JULE 3. mass, or 'oovme'ron, Louisiana, ASSIGNOR ori'rvvntvn PER can: no

. TRACTOR- GUIDE ATTACHMENT.

.a iieaaoi filed- September c, 1922, sem No. 661,814. Renewed m 27, 1925.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LJUnaB. MoKnn, a

1 to the steering gear of the tractor, and operating to guide the tractor and the plow in forming the next furrow in parallel relation to the previously formed furrow, and so on "continuously, thus forming the furrows in spaced parallel erelation,

3 Another-object of the invention is to provide a device of this character including a supplemental guiding means adapted to be arranged in electrical connection with the timing and sparking devices of the motor, so

that in event of the tractor being removed from'itsnormal or operative position or failing to follow the furrow, the motor will 3 be automatically disconnected.

20 Anotherbbject of the invention is to provide a device of this h'a'racter including a uiding ,slfoe having cooperating colter' blades operative to hold the shoe in position 1 in the 'furrow.

With these andother objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and henspecifically pointed out the claims, and in 'fltheQdraWingS illustra- Figure 1 is a plian'qjaew of the improved gviae, t th pwith the forward axle,

rward bearing wheels, and'portions of the I e r'ing mechanism of'a motor driven ve- 4 hole with "the improved device applied.

Fig. 2. is a side elevation of the improved device including the parts shown in Fig.

.. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on 1g 1. i v Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side vlew, of the main guide shoewith a part broken away.

e, of the preferred embodiment of the inturned'e'nd 27 of 'throw of the rods 21 and 125.

ANDENTY-I'OUB PER Fig. 6 is an enlarged detached perspective view of the lateral colte'r member.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detached perspective view of the vertical colter member. I

Fig.8 is an enlarged plan view of a modi filed form of the main shoe supporting beam. Fig. 9 is an enlarged side view, partly in section, of the supplemental guide element whereby the electrical operating devices are automaticallysho'rt circuited and out out,

in event of the main guide shoe 'beingremoved from its position in the furrow.

The lmproved devicev comprises a stock formed in two portions 10 and 11', the portion 11 having cheek lates 12 and the portion 10 having a soc et 13 to receive the member 10 and with cheek plates 14, the two sets of cheek plates being united by pivot pins 15. In its erferred form the member 10 is constructed from a section of gas or steam piping, as in Fig. land 2, or of wood or the like as shown in Fig. 8. When constructed as in Fig. 8, the socket 13 and cheek plate extensions 14 will be replaced by longer cheek plates 14'.

By this means the portionlO of the stock will swing vertically relative to the portion 11, and automatically follow any uneveness wise capable of being turned up out of the way when not in use.

The portion 11 ofv the stock is coupled in the bottoms of the furrows, and is like-,

by a combined yoke and swivel device 16 and 17 to the forward axle of the motor driven tractor, .the axle being represented at 18, the steering wheels at 19, the spindle arms at 20, the spindle connecting rod at 21;i

the steering ear connecting rodat 22, an lthe' front ra ius rods at 23.;

Aclip device 24 is attachedtothe rod 21 and'a-coupling rod 25 isconnected b its *downturned ends 26 and 27f respective y to.

the clip device 24 and the shorter stock portion 11, the latter having aplurality of apertures represented at 28 to receive the downthe rod 25, to control the By this means the stock '1011 is moved silnultaneouslly withthe movement of the steering connecting rod 22, as will be obvious.

When the member 10 is formed from a section of piping, as inFigs. 1 and 2, the

forward end will be flattened to receive a pivot bolt or rivet 29, and when the construction shown in Fig. 8 is employed the forward end will be provided with a clip device 30 apertured to receive the pivot.

A guide shoe is swingingly cou led to the forward end of the member 10 t to shoe being formed of an L-shaped plate with while being moved forwardly with the trac-' one portion 31 horizontal and the other portion 32 vertical, the part 31 being curved upwardly as at 33 and the part 32 curved laterally as at 34 to meet the curved part 33. A curved vertical portion 35 rises from the curved part' By this means the shoe is prevented from biting into the soil. The parts 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35 form the guide shoe, and may be pressed from a single sheet of metal, preferablysteel.

A clip 36 is attached to the horizontal wall 31 of the shoe to receive the pivot 29, by which means the shoe is swingingly coupled to tllGfOI'WtlId end of the member 10.

By this means the shoe is flexible and will oscillate vertically to a limited extent upon its pivot 29 and follow the'irregularity of the bottom of the furrow.

The portion 32 of the shoe is provided with a colter plate 37 horizontally extending beyond the outer face and cutting into the vertical wall of the furrow, and operating to prevent vertical movement of the shoe tor and plows, not shown.

The portion 32 of the shoe is formed with a slightly oblique slit and the colter device 37 is formed to extend through the slit from the inside with the heel part bent at a right angle as shown at 38 in Fig. 6, with the bent portion riveted to the portion 32.

An L-sliaped stop 39 extends by one leg into the path of the member 10 and the other leg slotted as at 40 to receive a holding bolt, by which the stop may be adjustably coupled tothe portion 32.

.bottom of the shoe and cutting into the bottom of the furrow.

'lhe slotted portion 44 in coaction with the clamp 'bolt 45 enables the angle of oporation of the coltei blade 46 to be ad'- justed' as required, to cause the shoe to mg the side of the furrow to a greater or lesser extent, while the obliquely directed lateralblade 37 causes the shoe to closely hug the bottom of the furrow, as will be obvious.

When not in use, the forward portion 10 of the stock together with the main iding shoe is turned over by its joint a ove the axle 18 and after the first furrow is made the portion 10 with its shoe is turned down with the vertical wall 32 of the shoe against the vertical side of the furrow and the horizontal wall 31 of theshoe upon the bottom of the furrow as indicated in Figs. 1

and 2,. with the colter blades embedded in the soil, and thereafter operating, as before de; scribed, to prevent vertical and lateral movement of the shoe.

As the tractor moves forwardly, the shoe,

being connected to the steering mechanism of the tractor, serves asa guide to enable the operator t0,form a new furrow in exact parallel relation to the previously formed furrow.

Attached to some stationary part ofthe. vehicle, for instance to theforward axle 18,

is a bracket 47, and pivoted at 48 in the bracket is a trip arm 49 enlar ed at the lower end to form a trailing s oe 50, the latter adapted .to travel normally on the land rearwardly of the front axle. The.

bracket 47 is extended upwardly and forwardly and terminates in an electric con tact 51. The member 49 is extended-forwardly of the bracket 47 and terminates-in an opposing electrical contact 52.

The contacts 51 and 52 are connected by electrical conductors, indicated at 53 and 53, with the magneto and coil box, not shown, and so long as the guide shoe 31-32 is in the furrow and the trailing ortion 50 of the bar 49 is in position on t e land alongside of the furrow and the tractor moved straight ahead, the contact 52 will be disengaged from the contact 51, and the circuit through the magneto and coil box not interfered with.

If however the tractor is turned from a straight forward direction and the shoe 31-32 thereby withdrawnfrom its-guiding position, and caused to mount the-land alongside the furrow, the axle 18 being correspondingly turned toward the land, will swing the bar 49 toward the furrow and cause its terminal 50 to drop into the furrow and close the connection between the contacts 51 and 52 and short circuit the magneto and'stop the motor.

a a A' spring, indicated fit/554:, may be connected between the bin- 49 and the bracket 47 if required to supplement the action of the bar 49 and plate 50. I

' The improved device is simple in construction, ran be adapted without material structural change to motor driven vehicles of various forms, and can be constructed of any suitable material and of any size or cai'iacity.

The preferred embodiment of the inveniao Cir

tion is disclosed in the drawings and set forth in the specification, but it will be understood that modifications within the scope of the claims may be made in the construction without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. The combination with a tractor including the forward axle and steering wheels, and the steering elements, of a guide shoe supported from said axle andiadapted to trave in a furrow, an arm swinging from said axle and terminating in a bearing shoe adapted to normally travel on the land adjacent the furrow, and electric contacts adapted to be closed to short circuit the electric control when the bearing shoe drops into the furrow.

2. The combination with a tractor including the forward axle, the forward steering wheels and the steering elements, of a guide shoe coupled to swin vertically and-adapt ed to normally trave in a furrow, coupling means between the guide shoe and the steerin elements, a bearin shoe coupled to SWIIIU vertically and a opted to normally trave upon the land adjacent to the furrow, a stationary contact associated with said axle, and a movable contact coacting with said bearing shoe and held vfrom engagement with the stationary contact when the bearing shoe is travelling on the land, said bearing shoe being caused to drop by gravity into the furrow when the tractor is turned from a straight forward course and close the contacta, to short circuit the electric control.

3. The combination with the forward'axle the forward steering Wheels and the, steering elements of a motor driven Ia hide, of

. an arm directed forwardly 'efthe axle and coupled to swing relative to the same and carrying a guide shoe adapted to run normally in a furrow, an armdirected rearwardly and coupled to swing relative to the axle and carryin a bearing shoeadapted to travel on the and adjacent the furrow, an electrical contact carried 1) said axle, and an electrical contact carr ed by the arm of said bearing shoe and adapted to engage the axle carried contact when the tractor is turned from astrai'ght course and the bearing shoe falls into the furrow, to short circuit the electric control.

4. In a device of the class described, an arm adapted to swing forwardly of an axle and carrying a guiding shoe adapted to run in a. furrow, an arm adapted to swing rear. wurdly of the axle' and carrying a bearing shoe adapted to travel on the land adjacent to the furrow, a stationary contact adapted to be supported from the axle, and a contact attached to the rearwardly directcd arm and engageable with the stationary contact when the axle is turned from a direct course, to permit the bearing shoe to drop into the furrow, to short circuit the electric control.

5. An attachment for a motor driven vehicle comprising an arm adapted to be swi'ngingly coupled to the forward axle of the vehicle and extending forwardly thereof and carrying a guide shoe adapted to run in a furr0w,'means adapted to couple said forwardly directed arm to the steering gear of the vehicle, an arm adapted to be coupled toswing upon said axle and extending rearwardly of the same and carrying a bearing shoe adapted to travel on the land adjacent the furrow, a stationary be supportedcfrom the axle, and a contact attached to the rearwardly extending arm and engageable with the stationary contact when the axle is turned from a direct course, to permit the bearing shoe to drop into the furrow to short circuit the electric COIllgOl.

GJAn attachment of the class described comprising a jointed stock adapted to be swingingly-coupled by one part to the forward axle of a motor driven vehicle, a guide shoe formed of a vertical portion and a horizontal portion and swin 'ngly coupled to the other part of the stoci said guide shoe adapted to move in a furrow with one side in the bottom of the furrow and the other side against the vertical wall of the furrow, a colter blade extending laterally from the vertical side of the shoe, a colter blade depending from the bottom of the shoe, and means for adjusting the depending colter blade.

7. An attachment of the class described comprisinga jointed stock adapted to be swingingly coupled by one part to the forward axle of a motor driven vehicle, a guide shoe formed of a vertical portion and a horizontal portion and swingingly coupled to the other part of thestock, said guide shoe adapted to move in a. furrow with one side in the bottom of the furrow and the other side against the vertical wall of the,

furrow, and the bottom of the shoe having ture hereto.

JULE B. McKEE.

contact adapted to- 

